In 1994 one-third of early school leavers had subsequently gained post–school qualifications.

A person's educational attainment affects their social well-being. Early school leavers, through receiving less education, often have higher unemployment levels, lower occupational status and lower incomes. Their opportunities for higher education are also often reduced.

Recent government policy has focused on the participation in education of young people as a means of meeting the demand for a better educated labour force. School has increasingly become the precursor to further education as opposed to direct entry into the labour force. In 1991 the Australian Education Council Review Committee stated '... by the year 2001, 95% of 19 year olds should have completed Year 12 or an initial post-school qualification or be participating in education or training.'1

In 1994, 56% of people aged 15-69 (6.9 million) were classified as early school leavers (i.e had not completed Year 12 or the highest level of secondary school available). A further 39% had completed Year 12 or the highest level of secondary school available and the rest were still at school or had never been to school.

Early school leavers and the labour force

Early school leavers in this review are people aged 15-69 who did not complete Year 12 (or the highest level of secondary school available at the time they left school). Those who never went to school and those who are still at school are not included.

Theemployed are people who worked during the reference week for pay, profit, commission, payment in kind or without pay in a family business, or who had a job but were not at work.

The unemployed are people who were not employed during the reference week, but who had actively looked for work and were available to start work.

People who arenot in the labour force are those who did not work and did not look for work in the reference week.

Long-term unemployed refers to people who were unemployed for 52 weeks or longer.

AgeThe proportions of each age group who were early school leavers increased with age from 22% of people aged 15-19 to 75% of those aged 55-69. This pattern was reversed for people who had completed Year 12 or the highest level of secondary school. 57% of those aged 20-24 had completed the highest level of secondary school compared to 24% of those aged 55-69. The low proportion of people aged 15-19 who had completed the highest level of school was due to the 45% who were still at school. These patterns reflect increased educational opportunities over the last 20 or 30 years.

On average, early school leavers were older than people who had completed the highest level of secondary school. The proportion of early school leavers aged 15-24 in 1994 was half that of those who had completed the highest level of secondary school (13% compared to 25%) and the proportion aged 55-69 was twice the size (23% compared to 11%).

AGE DISTRIBUTION, 1994

Age group

Early school leavers

Completed highest level of secondary school

Total(a)

(years)

%

%

%

15-24

12.8

25.5

21.7

25-34

22.0

25.8

22.4

35-44

22.2

23.2

21.6

45-54

19.8

15.0

17.0

55-69

23.2

10.5

17.3

Total

100.0

100.0

100.0

'000

'000

'000

Total

6,924.6

4,793.6

12,329.1

(a) Includes people still at school and those who never went to school.

Post-school qualificationsThe level of schooling achieved affects a person's chances of gaining post-school qualifications. Early school leavers were less likely to have gained post-school qualifications (33%) than those who had completed the highest level of secondary school (56%).

About the same proportion of men (57%) and women (56%) were early school leavers. However, more male early school leavers (40%) had subsequently gained post-school qualifications (e.g a trade) than female early school leavers (25%). 38% of men and 39% of women had completed the highest level of secondary school. In this group only slightly more men (58%) than women (55%) had post-school qualifications.

Of the early school leavers who had a post-school qualification, 77% had a skilled vocational qualification (e.g a trades qualification) or a basic vocational qualification (e.g a shorthand course or pre apprenticeship certificate). In contrast, 29% of people who had completed the highest level of secondary school had gained a vocational qualification, and 45% had obtained a bachelor degree or higher. These differences are largely the result of educational and employment patterns of the past when people were less likely to have completed the highest level of secondary school before undertaking vocational further education.

Male early school leavers with post-school qualifications were most likely to have skilled vocational qualifications (73%) while female early school leavers with post-school qualifications were most likely to have basic vocational qualifications (46%).

Labour force statusEarly school leavers were less likely to be employed and more likely to be unemployed or not in the labour force than those who had completed the highest level of secondary school. In 1994, 59% of early school leavers were employed, compared to 72% of those who had completed the highest level of secondary school. 8% of early school leavers were unemployed and 33% were not in the labour force.

It is likely that the overall lower educational attainment of early school leavers affects their labour force status. In addition, the higher proportion of early school leavers who were not in the labour force as compared to those who had completed the highest level of secondary school is affected by the older age profile of the early school leaver population. In 1994, most people aged 55-69 (66%) were not in the labour force.

There were substantial differences in labour force participation between women who had left school early and women who had completed the highest level of secondary school. Female early school leavers were less likely to be employed (47%) and more likely to not be in the labour force (47%) than women who had completed the highest level of secondary school (65% and 28% respectively). For men, the differences in labour force participation were not quite as marked.

OccupationThe level of education also influences occupation. Early school leavers are concentrated in blue collar occupations. In 1994, 20% of early school leavers were employed as tradespersons and 18% were employed as labourers and related workers. In contrast, those who had completed the highest level of secondary school were concentrated in white collar occupations. 33% of those who had completed the highest level of secondary school were employed as professionals or para-professionals.

Early school leavers are more likely to have attained skilled or basic vocational qualifications than those who completed the highest level of secondary school. This accounts for the relatively high proportion of early school leavers employed as tradespersons, and plant and machine operators, and drivers.

UnemploymentIn 1994, the unemployment rate of early school leavers was 12% compared to 10% of those who had completed the highest level of secondary school. Early school leavers were also more likely to be long-term unemployed (unemployed for 52 weeks or more) than those who had completed the highest level of secondary school. In 1994, the long-term unemployment rate of early school leavers was 5% compared to 3% of those who had completed the highest level of secondary school.

Unemployed early school leavers were likely to be unemployed for longer than unemployed people who had completed the highest level of secondary school. 24% of unemployed early school leavers had been unemployed for 2 years or more compared to 16% of those who had completed the highest level of secondary school.